La Douleur Exquise
by sweetening
Summary: A small note about gods and goddesses falling in love, falling out of love, and just plain falling.


It's funny. There was a girl last year. Nice girl. Came to camp, learned the ropes, and flat out asked something like: "Why are the gods so human?"

No need to say she didn't have the best first day. Or week. Or year. Underestimating the wrath of enraged divine beings is like underestimating the distance between your toe and the leg of your coffee table.

It's painful.

Anyway, no one ever really thought out the question. Never wondered why Miss Big Mouth used her Big Mouth in the first place. I can tell you now, of course, but I suppose that would spoil it all.

Let's start with a math problem. Let's pretend you actually tolerate math. It's not going to be hard, I can assure.

There's a powerful being. Take away the power. Divide the strength. Multiply the troubles. Then take away everything.

What's left? Not fifteen watermelons, thank gods. Who in the Underworld buys fifteen watermelons, mister second grade math textbook author? No sane child, really.

But well, then.

What is left behind? What does that ex-powerful being have left? A lot more than you think, probably. What is remaining?

The answer: emotions. Everyone has them. Everyone knows them well.

(Men can complain all about how women have the most, reacting over relationships and clothes and whatnot, but they're forgetting who the ones are that cry and get drunk over a male-dominant sport on TV every couple Sundays. Ironic, how that plays out.)

By "everyone", super Greek divine beings are not excluded. Though, you shouldn't quote me in front of one of them. That would be ugly. For me.

The most predominant emotion, most are familiar with. Anger. The righteous fury of a holy god. Or goddess. Neither is better or worse.

We're getting king of cold here, though. Let's specify.

What thing on earth is associated with feelings? Reasons?

Now, you're probably remembering Miss Big Mouth from last year, aren't you? You should be. I'll spoil it, after all―_she was right._

The Greek gods and goddesses are so surprisingly flexible. Emotional. Human. At least, in their actions.

Let me tell you this, readers. I'll be frank about it. I'll be honest.

The gods don't dislike humans as much as they make it seem. Sure, they had those moments, but really.

They live forever. They _know_ things.

To make it simple―they know how much love hurts. They do it anyway. Fall in love, I mean. Not that they're masochists. That would deem unfortunate.

Don't they know more than mortals about that kind of thing? Aphrodite does. She knows the most. Why do you think she acts like she does?

Why does every godly being act like they do? Humans die; they're fragile. But the easiest thing, the easiest emotion to succumb to―it's love.

Maybe because it's so different. It's unique for everyone (remember who "everyone" entails).

Gods and goddesses fall in love with humans. Some do, some are encased in their glass bubble of promised celibacy. Artemis. Hestia. Yet, they're just as attached to the mortal world as anyone. The Hunters. The heart of family homes.

Love isn't just romantic to them―they've been in romance many times past. Love is everything. It's _life_.

(Aphrodite isn't the super-super-expert-expert on how love works―she's just in charge of it. _Love just works_. Ask her. She'll tell you.)

But humans are only humans because they have a life. Immortality isn't what living is supposed to be.

Above all, gods crave that. Humanity, that is.

Humanity is so desirable because humanity is love. That's why. That's why they continue to fall in love. Why they allow themselves to start wars and break families and hurt humans all in the name of a foreign thing called love. In the long run, nothing else really had much value but this. No matter what they say otherwise.

_La douleur exquise_. The heartbreaking pain of wanting something you can't have.

Love is power. It keeps even gods living.

* * *

But of course, this is just an insignificant annotation of a bigger picture. Who knows if the all the gods have seen it yet? Everyone should. Percy Jackson and friends are on the verge of it.

The bigger picture, however, is something you'll have to find on your own. All I can say is, when you do, I have a feeling you'll fall in love it. You all will.

_La douleur exquise_ doesn't need to be.


End file.
